The Short Version: With an open mind and supportive advice, Laurie Ellington, also known as the Poly Coach, encourages singles and couples to create the relationships they want. She doesn’t believe there’s only one right way to love someone. In her own life, she enjoys the freedom of ethical non-monogamy and has been in an open relationship with her primary partner for five years. As a dating and relationship coach, Laurie draws from her own dating experiences to offer a thoughtful perspective on what love means and how couples can build sustainable, natural relationships based on trust and communication. Whether you’re monogamish or proudly poly, the Poly Coach welcomes individuals and groups of all types and encourages daters to live and love authentically.

In her prior relationships, Laurie Ellington didn’t feel like she could be herself. To her, dating was a box her personality simply didn’t fit in, so she’d end up letting go of her own desires to follow someone else’s program. Sacrificing her own wants and needs wasn’t healthy, and she saw it wasn’t working. A toxic, codependent relationship was the last straw for her. After Laurie ended things, she vowed not to lose herself in a relationship again.

Laurie Ellington, the Poly Coach, encourages her clients to clearly communicate what they want out of a relationship.

Her next love interest was a longtime friend from her local dance community. A man she’d known for eight years and felt comfortable around. One day, he called her up to explain that he was polyamorous. He wanted a relationship where he and his partner could trust one another to have other girlfriends and boyfriends while staying committed to one another. He asked if she was interested.

After Laurie’s experiences with unhealthy and codependent relationships, his honesty and clarity was a breath of fresh air. She was intrigued by the idea of polyamory. “I didn’t have an agenda about sleeping around. I was just ready to be 100% true to who I am,” she said. “That conversation offered me a new way to consider what love is.”

Laurie saw a way to be happy and herself in a relationship, and she took it. Since then, she and her partner have consciously cultivated a relationship that works for them. They’ve been together five years, and Laurie says it’s the healthiest relationship she’s ever been in. “My adventure into being in an open relationship came from a place within myself,” she said. “It’s an amazing lifestyle, and I feel really lucky.”

In her newfound happiness, Laurie wanted to share her success with the polyamorous lifestyle with others. She hoped to confront negative stereotypes about open relationships and show that polyamory can be sustainable when those involved honestly express their needs and support one another’s desires.

A few years ago, Laurie began offering relationship coaching services for singles and couples, and her reputation as the Poly Coach grew from there. Today, she engages in personal coaching sessions over Skype and in person. She offers clients deep emotional guidance on how to create a fulfilling and lasting love life. Based out of Austin, Texas, Laurie works with people who are polyamorous, monogamous, and everything in between.

“I’m really into supporting people to feel more free and empowered in their relationships,” Laurie explained. “There is no normal. You can do it however you want to do it.”

Flexible & Compassionate Coaching for Individuals & Groups

Laurie is the Poly Coach, but she works with clients in all types of relationships. She’s more than willing to meet people wherever they are on their own love journey. Her polyamorous coaching services are geared toward individuals and couples in open relationships, but the lessons about clarity and communication can be applied to monogamous relationships as well.

Laurie coaches her clients to love openly without worrying about labels.

A huge part of her coaching is about freeing people to discover what’s right for them and upgrade their relationships in meaningful ways. You can call 310-993-3147 or send an email to polycoaching@gmail.com to get started with a free exploratory session. Laurie offers a complimentary initial consult so potential clients can get a feel for what it’s like to work with her.

If you’re interested in learning more about yourself and your relationships, you can stop by her office or call via Skype for a constructive session, typically lasting one hour. Laurie shows her flexibility when scheduling custom packages of coaching sessions that adapt to the unique needs of individuals and groups. It’s a highly personalized process. Laurie lets conversation flow organically and addresses issues as they arise, emphasizing mindfulness and sincerity.

“I help my clients get clear with what they want and what’s right for them,” she said. “I’m ready to take people where they want to be. To a place where everyone feels accepted and understood.”

An Open Resource Facilitating a Conversation About Polyamory

Laurie is all about opening up a dialogue about polyamory and ethical non-monogamy. She hopes to shed light on a topic too often ignored or misrepresented in the dating world. The Poly Coach’s blog describes how polyamorous relationships work and answers common questions about this lifestyle. Laurie expounds at length on topics such as, how to find people interested in polyamorous relationships and how to define a non-monogamous relationship.

“I go where the energy is,” she said about how she chooses what to write next. “I like to put myself out there to facilitate conversation about hot topics.”

“The polyamorous relationship lifestyle offers plenty of opportunities for us to express ourselves in new and exciting ways. It’s important to embrace that.” — Laurie Ellington, the Poly Coach

On the site’s FAQ page, Laurie answers common questions about polyamorous relationships, like “Why do people seek polyamory and polyamorous relationships?” and “How do I get started with polyamory and polyamorous relationships?” Using a positive tone, Laurie combats stereotype, recommends healthy dating practices, gives sensitive advice, and defines terms that daters may be curious about.

“I focus my expertise on a niche hungry for communication,” she explained. “I saw a need and put myself out there as a resource to help people discover healthy relationships where everyone is honest about what they want.”

Clients Feel Empowered to Seek a Relationship That Works for Them

Over the years, Laurie has had a tremendous impact on the lives of her clients. She knows how to foster communication, listen to issues with an open mind, and provide deep insight into what makes a relationship successful in the long run. Her testimonials page is filled with warm reviews from clients across the country.

The Poly Coach gives people the tools to build whatever type of relationship suits them best. Former clients call Laurie’s help transformative, empowering, and amazing. Her supportive and caring approach to relationship coaching guides polyamorous and monogamous couples to deepen their emotional connections in fundamental ways.

“Laurie has a very calm presence and helped me express what I want from relationships — in romance, work, and friendship.” — Dayna Fo, a client from Austin, Texas

“Laurie’s polyamorous relationship coaching sessions have been super helpful,” wrote Amanda Metcalf in a testimonial. “I’ve gained significant insights and techniques to create healthy communication and a clear foundation for more loving relationships.”

“Some of the most powerful experiences for me,” Laurie said, “is when a couple can see where each one is wrapped up in the story, and they spiral out. I facilitate people coming back to the present moment.”

Explore More Authentic Ways to Connect With the Poly Coach

When Laurie embarked on a polyamorous relationship with her primary partner, she discovered the freedom and fulfillment of living a life of her own design. Five years later, she still feels passionately that it was the right decision for her. In her work as a relationship coach, she helps individuals and groups decide what’s best for them — whatever that may be.

Laurie supports loving relationships of all types, coaching everyone involved to clearly and openly express their needs with one another. Through dynamic coaching sessions, she empowers her clients to work toward their own ideal relationship setup. Laurie’s guidance comes from a soulful place, and the Poly Coach’s personal success story often inspires daters in need of validation or acceptance.

“I meet people where they’re at,” she told us. “Often people seek me out because I understand the poly lifestyle, and I can show them the way to be in a sustainable relationship based on clarity and communication.”

Amber Brooks is a Contributing Editor at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating expert. As an English major in college, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about topics that interest her. Now with a background in writing, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com.

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